490 BioTech contributes to research on the International Space Station

490 BioTech

490 BioTech went to space on-board the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for the 14th resupply mission to the International Space Station. Read about how our LiveLight™ cell lines were used in space to test the metabolic impact of drug compounds in microgravity.

Investigation:

Comparative Real-Time Metabolic Activity Tracking for Improved Therapeutic Assessment Screening Panels

490 Biotech’s reporter-gene system for substrate-free bioluminescent human cell lines is an enabling technology for the evaluation of drug safety and effectiveness. Cellular response to drug samples is observable via visible data acquisition in both tissues and small animal models. The microgravity environment on-board the ISS promotes superior 3D cell growth conditions, enabling evaluations (using this cell line) that may better mimic the cellular response of human tissues. This investigation will specifically examine anticancer therapeutics with downstream applications for other drugs with hopes to validate a novel bioluminescent assay tool kit that may significantly reduce the failure rate and high development cost of current drug discovery efforts.

490 BioTech, Inc. Dr. Gary Sayler